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Archives for August 2020

Matt Moulson Re-Signs In AHL

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Now three years removed from NHL action, Matt Moulson isn’t done his professional career just yet. The 36-year old veteran has re-signed with the Hershey Bears of the AHL for the 2020-21 season. Moulson served as an alternate captain for the Bears this year after spending the last two with the Ontario Reign.

Once a three-time 30-goal scorer in the NHL, Moulson’s career took a nosedive after signing a five-year, $25MM contract with the Buffalo Sabres in 2014. His first full season in Buffalo went okay, recording 41 points, but he’d never reach that total again and by 2017 found himself buried in the minor leagues. In fact, Moulson didn’t even play for the Sabres AHL affiliate, instead requesting a transfer to the Reign. That megadeal expired after the 2018-19 season, with the Sabres receiving a total of 46 goals and 123 points in 297 games from the former New York Islander.

Still, Moulson has accepted his fate and become one of the most consistent scorers in the AHL. Since his demotion, he has recorded 149 points in 179 games and from all accounts been a model teammate and leader. He’ll turn 37 before the next season begins, but the Bears can rely on him to be a force on the wing once again.

With an AHL contract Moulson can’t be recalled to the NHL, but those days are long behind him anyway. His time at the top resulted in 650 games played, 176 goals and 369 points.

Morning Notes: Jets, Jarry, Stamkos

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The Winnipeg Jets are going home a little earlier than they had hoped after losing game four to the Calgary Flames last night. Eliminated from the playoffs, they could finally reveal what happened to Mark Scheifele and Patrik Laine, explaining to Sara Orlesky of TSN that neither one is expected to miss an extended period of time. Head coach Paul Maurice doesn’t believe there is any Achilles damage for Schiefele, who yelled in pain on the ice after colliding with Matthew Tkachuk in game one. Maurice called it “a crush” not a cut, but did admit that his top center is still undergoing further testing.

Laine meanwhile sprained his hand in the opener and couldn’t hold a stick, but Maurice believes he’ll only be out for a few weeks. Mason Appleton, who isn’t quite as important to the team as the former two, will also be out just a few weeks with a shoulder injury. The Jets will finally say goodbye to a 2019-20 season that was quite the rollercoaster, starting with Dustin Byfuglien’s disappearance and ending with two of their offensive leaders watching from the stands.

  • If the Pittsburgh Penguins are to avoid the same fate, they’ll need to stave off elimination against the Montreal Canadiens today. To do so they’ll call upon Tristan Jarry, starting him in game four over Matt Murray who has lost two of the first three. Murray did post a .914 save percentage in those games but received endless online criticism for how he played a shot from Jeff Petry, which ended up being the winning goal. After starting his career out with two Stanley Cups before his rookie status expired, Murray now has just two wins in his last 12 playoff contests. Jarry meanwhile will be making his playoff debut in an elimination game and has just 62 appearances at the NHL level under his belt.
  • Steven Stamkos won’t be playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning when they face the Philadelphia Flyers tomorrow in a winner-takes-all round-robin game. The Lightning and Flyers have both won the first two round-robin contests, meaning whoever takes tomorrow’s game will be the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the duration of the playoffs. Stamkos won’t be able to help, and though he is working hard and rehabbing, head coach Jon Cooper told reporters including Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer that the captain will be out indefinitely.

Philadelphia Flyers Loan Linus Sandin To SHL

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Linus Sandin won’t be starting his North American career as soon as he expected. The Swedish forward has been loaned back to the SHL’s HV71 today by the Philadelphia Flyers, just a few months after signing his entry-level contract.

Sandin, 24, inked that one-year entry-level deal in April following an excellent season with HV71, where he scored 36 points in 51 games. The undrafted forward was set to compete for a role in the NHL for the 2020-21 season, but will have to wait a little longer for that opportunity. As with any of these loans, the Flyers retain the right to recall Sandin at any point and will likely do so in time for NHL training camps in November.

The older brother of top Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Rasmus Sandin, Linus has played three full seasons in the SHL and has seen his point totals jump in each one. The 6’1″ forward easily led HV71 in goals with 19, good enough for third in the entire league. With a flat cap next season he could be a valuable depth piece for the Flyers, who still have some important free agents to sign and not a ton of space to do it.

Offseason Keys: Buffalo Sabres

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The offseason has arrived for at least seven teams that were not invited to take part in the Qualifying Round that has now started.  With that in mind, our Offseason Keys series is underway for the teams that are on the outside looking in.  Next up is a look at Buffalo.

This season was certainly a disappointing one for the Sabres.  After bringing in a new head coach and bolstering their depth, the results weren’t much different than in previous years with another playoff miss.  After originally giving Jason Botterill a public vote of confidence, ownership decided to make a change at GM, promoting Kevyn Adams to the role despite minimal front office experience.  The team has already made significant cuts to its front office and while making some moves to replace those that were let go (such as a new AHL coaching staff), Adams will have several things surrounding the Sabres on his plate this summer.

Looking Forward

Generally speaking, new general managers don’t often get the cleanest of canvasses to work with as they look to put their stamp on the team.  Adams is in somewhat of a unique situation when it comes to his forward group as Buffalo has just four regulars signed for next season in Jack Eichel, Jeff Skinner, Marcus Johansson, and Kyle Okposo, the latter of which is likely earmarked for a fourth line or reserve role.

This isn’t just a case of having a bunch of restricted free agents either as they have more unrestricted free agents than restricted free agents.  It’s a safe bet that three of those RFAs will be brought back in Sam Reinhart (whose post-bridge contract is going to be one of the more interesting ones of the offseason), Victor Olofsson, and Dominik Kahun.  But even with them eventually getting signed, that’s only seven forwards under contract which leaves up to seven roster spots available.

Of their unrestricted free agents, there aren’t any must-sign players although if the price is right, they’ll likely look at what it would cost to keep Zemgus Girgensons and Johan Larsson around.  Having said that, losing one or both of them won’t drastically change their fortunes either.

Some of those open spots will likely be earmarked for youngsters.  Casey Mittelstadt will assuredly get another look while their top 2019 pick in Dylan Cozens may get a shot as well.  But even if those two make the team, there will be room to add.

Buffalo has less than $50MM in commitments for next season and even when they re-sign all of their restricted free agents, they will have a fair bit of room to play with in an offseason where cap space is going to be at a premium.  The Sabres will be well-positioned to try to add an impact forward or two via free agency and if that falls through, they should be able to take advantage on the trade market.  Many new general managers are hamstrung with limited flexibility when they take over but Adams will be the exception and will have a good chance to change up their forwards pretty quickly.

Determine Ullmark’s Future

Last summer, Buffalo decided to kick the can on deciding Linus Ullmark’s long-term future with the team down the road, inking him to what amounted to a second bridge deal, a one-year pact worth $1.325MM.  Given that he only had one full year of NHL experience under his belt, the decision was certainly justifiable.

Punting that call again is no longer an option though.  The netminder is now one year away from UFA eligibility so another one-year deal just sets him up to walk away.  Adams is going to have to decide if Ullmark is a goalie that they want to build around pretty quickly.

Given his limited NHL track record (97 games over parts of five seasons), it would be difficult to make the case that he has shown enough to be their undisputed starter of the future.  On the other hand, Ullmark posted a more than respectable .915 SV% with a 2.69 GAA in 34 games this season.  On a non-playoff team, that’s pretty good.  At a minimum, those are pretty good numbers for someone in a platoon role which is basically the role he has held the last two years.

At 27, is that a role that Ullmark wants to lock himself into for several more seasons, even with Carter Hutton only a year away from free agency of his own?  If he envisions himself as a starter, he may prefer another short-term deal to let him test the open market quicker.  On the other hand, with less than 100 games of experience, a multi-year commitment at a decent-sized raise on his deal from this season would give him some security that he hasn’t had before.

The Sabres have a promising young goalie in the system in Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen but he’s still two or three years away from being ready for the NHL.  Is Ullmark the right one to bridge the gap?  Adams will have to decide that over the next few months.

Dahlin Extension

Based on the new salary cap situation, it’s not shaping up to be a fun offseason for many pending free agents.  But what about those who will be entering the final year of their deals and are now eligible for a contract extension?  It certainly stands to reason that teams may not be as willing to hand out a big-ticket contract to players in those situations as well.

Rasmus Dahlin appears to be a particularly interesting case study for players that can sign an extension.  The 2018 top pick actually saw his ice time scaled back this season under Ralph Krueger by nearly two minutes per game but it appeared to work for him as he nearly matched his rookie point total this season despite playing in 23 fewer games.

Between that and the expectations of him continuing to develop into an eventual franchise defenseman, this would normally be the recipe for a long-term deal getting done relatively quickly as other number one picks have done.  But that was then and this is now.  Is Buffalo going to be as willing to hand him a mammoth contract?  Will Dahlin prefer a bridge deal in the hopes that the cap picture will be improved once the next television contract is completed?  That’s a path that a lot of players will likely take in the coming months.

One element that Buffalo has that many other teams don’t is cap space.  They have the ability to ink Dahlin to a long-term deal now without it really creating a huge impact on their long-term cap picture.  Presumably, it will take more than what Florida gave Aaron Ekblad, a former top pick himself; the 24-year-old signed an eight-year, $60MM deal after his sophomore season which is where Dahlin is now.  (Based on Ekblad’s cap percentage at the time the deal was signed, an equivalent rate would be roughly $8.7MM per season instead of $7.5MM.)  There’s a roadmap to getting a contract extension done with Dahlin but will the new marketplace give one or both sides pause?  We’ll find out soon enough.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Snapshots: Gawanke, Hamilton, Coyotes

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With several prospects being loaned overseas to start next season, other international teams are hoping to jump in and benefit from this.  One of those is Eisbaren Berlin of the German DEL.  Their team director Stephane Richer told Jorg Lubrich of BZ Berlin that they have been in contact with the Jets regarding defenseman Leon Gawanke with the hopes of having him loaned there to start 2020-21.  The 21-year-old had a good professional debut with AHL Manitoba this season with four goals and 22 assists in 48 games and he would be returning to a program he’s familiar with having played there (in his hometown) for several years before transferring to major junior.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • Carolina defenseman Dougie Hamilton participated in practice today for the first time since being injured in practice two weeks ago, notes Michael Smith on the Hurricanes’ team website. He has been dealing with an undisclosed injury but the fact he was able to get on the ice today is a good sign that he may be able to return when their next series begins early next week.  Considering he logged over 23 minutes a game and had 40 points in just 47 contests before breaking his fibula in mid-January, his return would be a huge addition to their back end.
  • Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz skated both today and yesterday as he tries to work his way back into the lineup after being injured in last week’s exhibition game, notes Craig Morgan of AZ Coyotes Insider (Twitter link). There’s no word yet on whether he’ll be able to play Friday for the fourth game of their series against Nashville.  One player who seems unlikely to suit up for that one is goalie Antti Raanta.  After being ruled unfit to play earlier in the series, he has not skated which means Adin Hill will likely serve as the backup option again tomorrow.

Anaheim Ducks Extend Jacob Larsson

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According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the Anaheim Ducks have finished some paperwork, signing Jacob Larsson to a new two-year contract. The deal will carry an average annual value of $1.2MM and keep the pending restricted free agent under contract through the 2021-22 season.

Larsson, 23, was a first-round pick of the Ducks back in 2015, and though he made his debut in the 2016-17 season, he still hasn’t established himself as the rock-solid NHL defender that many expected. The 6’2″ defenseman has played games for the Ducks’ minor league affiliate in each of the last five seasons but did suit up in 60 games for the NHL club this year.

Unfortunately, those 60 games didn’t produce exceptional results, as Larsson scored just 11 points and provided brutal possession statistics. Still young enough to improve there is still plenty of time for Larsson to live up to his first-round billing, but this relatively inexpensive contract reflects his inconsistent performance to this point.

For the Ducks, who have nearly $80MM in salaries committed to next season even as they enter a “rebuild,” contracts like this are necessary. Larsson will be given every opportunity to take a larger role, especially if the team decides to try to move on from one of their more expensive veteran blueliners.

When the contract expires, Larsson will still be a restricted free agent.

Boston Bruins Sign Robert Lantosi

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According to several reports including Conor Ryan of Boston Sports Journal, the Boston Bruins have rewarded an AHL rookie with an NHL contract, signing Robert Lantosi to a one-year entry-level deal. The 24-year old spent the 2019-20 season with the Providence Bruins on an AHL contract but knew right from the start that he would be competing for an NHL deal before long.

It was easy to see why the Bruins would take a chance last year on the Slovakian forward. He had just scored 58 points in 56 games for his club team and showed well at the World Championships. A bronze medalist with Slovakia at the World Juniors several years ago, he had obviously continued to develop into a player who could be relied upon at the professional level.

That’s exactly what happened in Providence, as he finished the year as a core forward for the club and will now get a chance to compete for a spot even higher up the depth chart. The one-year deal leaves him a restricted free agent in 2021 and makes him call-up eligible next season.

ECHL, OHL, WHL Announce Revised Start Dates

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Thursday: The WHL has announced its own adjusted start date, going with December 4 as well. They will also attempt a full 68-game schedule, even going as far as saying “regardless of our start date, the WHL is committed to playing a full regular season and playoffs in 2020-21.”

Wednesday: Two other leagues have announced their plans for a return to play, as the ECHL and OHL released revised start dates for the 2020-21 season.

The ECHL, a professional league used as the low-minors for the NHL, has approved a revised schedule for the upcoming season that will begin on December 4, 2020. The league anticipates holding a full 72-game season, though further adjustments to the schedule will be announced as we get closer to the start. The ECHL was originally scheduled to start their season at the beginning of October.

The OHL meanwhile, one of the three leagues that make up the CHL, announced that it is planning on starting their season December 1, 2020. The 2020-21 season will be a 64-game schedule for the OHL and include a 16-team playoff format.

The Memorial Cup, which will be hosted by either the Oshawa Generals or Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds will be held between June 17-27, 2021.

Like anything else in today’s world, these decisions are subject to change should health recommendations shift over the next few months.

Tyler Ennis Out Indefinitely

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The Edmonton Oilers won’t have Tyler Ennis back in the lineup tomorrow as they try to stave off elimination, and even if they win he likely won’t be available for a while. The team has announced that Ennis is out “indefinitely” with the injury he sustained last night. The speedy forward was hit behind his own net by Kirby Dach and was forced to leave the game.

That may very well be the end of the line for a trade deadline acquisition that worked out very well for the Oilers. Ennis recorded four points in nine regular season games following the trade and already had two in the qualification rounds. The 30-year old helped provide the much-needed speed upfront that the Oilers had been lacking for years (other than Connor McDavid, of course).

There is always a chance that he returns if the Oilers can come back and win against the Blackhawks, but the question could now become whether or not the team wants to bring him back in free agency. An unrestricted free agent at season’s end, Ennis is coming off consecutive one-year contracts that each paid less than $1M in salary. After putting up 16 goals and 37 points total this season he’ll obviously be looking for something bigger than that moving forward.

Overseas Notes: Swedish U20, Stutzle, Kozun

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Sweden will hold a training camp for World Junior hopefuls later this month and today published a roster for the event. That group includes top 2020 draft prospects Alexander Holtz and Lucas Raymond who both could be selected in the first ten picks. Outside of that dynamic duo, however, there are several other interesting names that could be relatively high picks.

With events like the World Junior Summer Showcase and Hlinka-Gretzky tournament canceled, the scouting season for NHL teams will be much different.

  • Tim Stutzle, another top prospect for the upcoming draft, spoke with Craig Button and J.D. Burke for the new Elite Prospects podcast. The German forward spoke about learning a lot from former NHLer Ben Smith, and touched on his insatiable drive to win (or perhaps hatred of losing). Stutzle took home the DEL Rookie of the Year award this season after scoring 34 points in 41 games and is the top-ranked international skater according to NHL Central Scouting.
  • Brandon Kozun will remain in the KHL, this time signing a contract with Dynamo Minsk for the 2020-21 season. The 30-year old forward played just 20 games in the NHL before leaving for the KHL in 2015 but has had a ton of success overseas. An Olympic bronze medal with Team Canada in 2018 and three All-Star games has been the reward for Kozun, who had 22 points in 47 games this season.

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